Trunk.



G. A. McGARTHY,

TRUNK.

APPLICATION $11 121) SEPTJS, 1909.

957,704. Patented May 10, 1910.

UNITED STATES PATENT? @FFlfiE.

CLARENCE A. MCCARTHY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO P. C. MURPIIY TRUNK COMPANY, OF ST. LGUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI.

TRUNK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 10, 1910.

Application filed September 13, 1909. Serial No. 517,377.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARE-NOE 1%.. Mc- CARTHY, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Trunks, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the artto which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to trunks, and particularly to trunks that are used for carrying articles of clothing.

One object of my invention is to provide a trunk of novel construction which has a number of separate compartments for receiving different articles of clothing and which is so designed that it can be set up on end to form a wardrobe.

Another object is to provide a trunk of the character described having a lid or top portion that consists of movable sections whose meeting edges terminate at approximately the longitudinal center of the trunk.

And still another object of my invention is to provide a wardrobe steamer trunk that can be opened conveniently ina small space and which is so designed that the contents of same will not wrinkle or get out of place when the trunk is in transit.

Other objects and desirable features of my invention will be hereinafter pointed out.

Figure l of the drawings is a perspective View of a steamer trunk constructed in accordance with my invention, the lid or top portion of the trunk being closed; and Fig. 2 is a perspective view of said trunk showing the lid opened.

Referring to the drawings which illustrate the preferred form of my invention, A designates the body or lower portion of the trunk, and B designates two hinged or movable sections that form the lid or to part of the trunk. Each of these movab e sections B comprises a top wall 1, a side wall 2 and an end wall 3, the side wall 2 and end wall 3 forming continuations of the side wall 2 and end wall 3 respectively, of the body or lower portion of the trunk when the lid of the trunk is closed, as shown in Fig. 1. The top sections B are connected to the body portion A of the trunk by means of hinges l of any preferred design that are fastened to the side walls 2 of the body portion and side walls 2 of said top sections so that when the trunk is set on end the top sections can be swung outwardly or open in practically the same manner as the doors of a wardrobe and thus enable the trunk to be packed or unpacked easily.

The end wall of the body portion A, which constitutes the lower end of the trunk when it is arranged in an upright position, e2;- tends the full depth of the trunk instead of only for half the depth of the trunk, and the hinged top sections l3 preferably terminate some distance from this lower end wall, as shown clearly in the drawings. A flange 5 extends around the edge of the lower end wall of the body portion A. and merges into the side walls 2 of said body portion so as to reinforce and strengthen same and also form a continuation of the hinged top section B when the trunk is closed.

It will thus be seen that my improved trunk is provided at one end with an end wall that extends the entire depth and width of the trunk so as to form a substantialbase on which the trunk rests when arranged in a vertical or upright position, and it will also be seen that the lid of my improved trunk is composed of two hinged sections whose edges meet at approximately the iongitudinal center of the trunk so that they will take up very little space when they are swung open. One advantage of such a trunk is that it can be opened conveniently in a small space, such, for example, as the state-room of a boat or car, and another advantage is that it can be arranged in an up right position to form a wardrobe which can be packed and unpacked conveniently. If desired, the end walls 3 of the top sections B and the end wall 3 of the body portion of the trunk which cooperate with each other to form the upper end of the trunk, can be made of irregular shape so as to prevent the trunk from being placed on its upper end.

One of the top sections B is provided on its longitudinal edge with a metal strip 6 or valance that laps over the longitudinal edge of the other top section when said sections are closed, and said top sections can also be provided with simliar strips 6 that lap over the end wall 3 and flange 5 of the body portion A. Any preferred type of clasps or catches 7 can be used for locking the two top sections l3 together, and clasps or catches 8 can be employed for locking the top sections to the body portion of the trunk.

A sliding rail 9 is preferably fastened to the inner face of the upper end wall 3 of the body portion to form a support for suithangers 10, and a frame 11 is provided for holding the suits on said hangers flat in the body portion of the trunk. Boxes 12 provided with hinged lids are arranged in the lower end of the trunk inside of the flange 5 so as to form compartments for holding hats, shoes and various other articles, and sliding drawers 13 are arranged inside of the top sections B in suitable frames or partitions 14 that are securely connected to the inner faces of said top sections. These drawers 13 can be utilized for holding underwear, shirts and various other articles of clothing, and I prefer to provide each drawer with a removable follower 15 that can be clamped or retained in position by means of straps 16 or other suitable devices, as shown in Fig. :2 before the drawer is placed in operative position inside of the pockets or frame provided for same on the top section.

With a trunk of this construction there will be no danger of the contents of same becoming creased or wrinkled when the trunk is in transit for separate compartments are provided for the various articles of clothing which prevent them from shifting or becoming displaced. The large compartment in the body portion of the trunk permits coats, trousers, and shirts to be packed flat, and when the trunk is set on end said clothes will hang vertically in practically the same manner as if they were hung in a closet or wardrobe. The divided lid or top part of the trunk permits the trunk to be opened and used in a much smaller space than if the top was formed in one piece like the trunks heretofore in use, and as every part of the interior of the trunk can be used for storage space the trunk will contain a greater quantity of clothing than trunks of the type heretofore in use.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A wardrobe steamer trunk that is adapted to be arranged in an upright position on one of its ends when it is opened, said trunk comprising a shallow body portion that is provided at one end with a wall which extends the full depth and width of the trunk, a flange on said wall that forms part of the side and top walls of the trunk, two hollow hinged sections that form a top or cover for aid body portion, said hinged sections terminating at said flange, sliding drawers or trays that are adapted to be slid edgewise into said hollow sections, and boxes arranged inside of the flange on the end wall of the body portion.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses, this tenth day of September 1909.

CLARENCE A. MCCARTHY.

Witnesses:

WELLS L. CHURCH, GEORGE BAKEWELL. 

